Author: Amanda Giasson

A new type of wearable technology could redefine the AR experience.

Andrew Maimone, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill PhD student, has developed augmented reality (AR) glasses that would allow users to digitally interact with the real world, except Maimone’s glasses are sleek, compact, and light and are realistically wearable and less of a “gimmick” in comparison to conventional AR devices.

The new AR glasses provide a wide field of view.

Maimone commented that while it is possible to utilize a tablet or a even a smartphone to call up a virtual place and character and superimpose it on the real world via a small mobile screen, this experience is not “very compelling” because the experience does not occur through a person’s vision. The smartphone or tablet only allows the user to look at the virtual place through a small window.

On the other hand, traditional augmented reality glasses are bulky due to several components that are required to make the technology work, such as lenses, waveguides, reflectors, beam splitters, and additional optics that relay a digital image to the eye and place it at a distance where it can be focused on by the eye. Unfortunately, all of the bulk this tech creates can limit a person’s field of view.

Maimone’s device is called a Pinlight Display and he has been working on this device in collaboration with three researchers from the University of North Carolina and two from Nvidia Research. The Pinlight Display does not rely on standard optical components. Instead, it utilizes an array of “pinlights”, which are essentially bright dots.

Maimone explains that “A transparent display panel is placed between the pinlights and the eye to modulate the light and form the perceived image.” He added that “Since the light rays that hit each display pixel come from the same direction, they appear in focus without the use of lenses.”

Early prototypes of the augmented reality Pinlight Displays have demonstrated 100 degree fields of view.

Currently, the best commercial augmented reality glasses only offer a field of view of up to 40 degrees, while Maimone’s glasses have demonstrated fields of view of 100 degrees or higher. While this is no doubt impressive, the present prototype is not without its problems. It currently has image quality and low resolution issues. Maimone says that the next step is to work on improving these elements. He firmly believes, however, that with the proper engineering and research, the technology could be made into something realistic for use in everyday life.

Patent pictures hint at a new design concept for the wearable tech.

Although not everyone is on board with Google Glass, one aspect regarding this wearable device on which most people agree is the fact that it lacks aesthetic appeal and does very little for a person’s looks, but this minor issue may be rectified down the road based on the latest speculations regarding a recent acquired patent.

The new design appears to be sleeker and thicker compared to the current eyewear.

Mitchell Heinrich, Google design and prototyping engineer involved with Project Glass, was granted US patent D710,928 S on August 12. The patent shows a Google Glass design that looks far more like thick framed normal eyeglasses compared to the relatively bulky projector that sits on the side of the current device.

Heinrich’s involvement in the project is described on his website as “Early stage mechanical architecture layout. Lead the consumer packaging development for the explorer release. Developed human factors numerical and physical models to fit Glass on as many people as possible. Co-developed the bone conduction audio system including component design and testing. Broad range of low and high fidelity prototype development.”

The patent application reveals relatively normal looking spectacles with a thick frame that features a display apparatus, which is tucked on the inside and is attached to the right arm of the glasses near the hinge. This would not only hide the projector, but make the wearable display device potentially more comfortable for the user, as they could receive information projected from the apparatus on the lenses instead of it floating in front of their eyes. This could also mean better image quality. On the other hand, this new design could end up being more obstructive to the wearer’s vision.

The new design may make people even more suspicious of Google Glass users.

Despite being more appealing to look at, this new design could raise more concerns among non-Glass users who may argue that it will make it easier for wearers to film others without these people being aware that they are being captured on film or that Glass users may find it easier to engage in other illicit activity. For instance, the smartglasses have already been banned at certain movie theaters in the US to prevent the illegal filming of movies.

Nevertheless, at the moment, the patent doesn’t reveal enough about the next-gen Google Glass for anything official to be determined. However, what has been seen certainly does appear to be a notable evolution in the product.